Multimedia Keys (Again)

Zavan · 2016-06-07 11:31:29

Hi All... Apologies for posting this when I know there're already several threads on the same thing. I've opened this for a few reasons: 1) I still haven't been able to solve the problem, and; 2) There doesn't seem to be a conclusive solution in other topics. So, I hope this will both help me fix the issue and also be useful for other people having the same problem in the future.

I'm fresh through an install of BL, and have configured most of the system to my liking. One thing that is still problematic are the multimedia keys. My laptop is a Thinkpad (t440p) and has the volume keys mapped to fn+f1, fn+f2, and fn+f3 for mute, decrease volume and increase volume respectively. The mute key can successfully mute/unmute the system, but volume up/volume down does not. These keys are being processed by BL, evidenced by the following xev outputs:

MUTE:
KeymapNotify event, serial 48, synthetic NO, window 0x0,
    keys:  4294967211 0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   2   
           0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   

KeyRelease event, serial 48, synthetic NO, window 0x5000001,
    root 0xab, subw 0x0, time 7236765, (328,90), root:(329,685),
    state 0x0, keycode 121 (keysym 0x1008ff12, XF86AudioMute), same_screen YES,
    XLookupString gives 0 bytes: 
    XFilterEvent returns: False

VOLUME DOWN:
FocusOut event, serial 48, synthetic NO, window 0x5000001,
    mode NotifyGrab, detail NotifyAncestor

FocusIn event, serial 48, synthetic NO, window 0x5000001,
    mode NotifyUngrab, detail NotifyAncestor

KeymapNotify event, serial 48, synthetic NO, window 0x0,
    keys:  2   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   
           0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   

VOLUME UP:
FocusOut event, serial 48, synthetic NO, window 0x5000001,
    mode NotifyGrab, detail NotifyAncestor

FocusIn event, serial 48, synthetic NO, window 0x5000001,
    mode NotifyUngrab, detail NotifyAncestor

KeymapNotify event, serial 48, synthetic NO, window 0x0,
    keys:  2   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   
           0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0

So, do you guys have any suggestions? I see that the mute key has a key release event that volume up/down are lacking. One extra thing to add: the preferences menu of volti does not work. There is no response if I try to enter it by right clicking the volti icon and selecting preferences.

When this is solved, I will add the solution used to this post. I really appreciate your help and advice!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Solution So Far:

johnraff wrote:

*) Comment out the <keybind key="XF86AudioMute"> ...</keybind>section from rc.xml, and any other references to the XF86* keys.
*) Purge xfce4-volumed
*) Install volumeicon-alsa from Debian stable.
*) In openbox/autostart replace volti with volumeicon
*) Logout/in and make sure volumeicon's hotkeys are set to the XF86* keys.

Upon relogging, if volumeicon is not displaying, open a terminal and try launching it ("volumeicon"). For me, this provided the following error:

volumeicon: alsa_backend.c:86: asound_get_volume: Assertion `m_elem != ((void *)0)' failed.

Which was fixed by altering ~/.config/volumeicon/volumeicon under the ALSA section:

Change:
card=default
to:
card=1

Now, upon relogging (or running the command volumeicon from terminal) the icon will at least display in the taskbar. However, if your device is anything like mine, there is now a new issue: you have no sound playing. For me, this was because sound was being output via HDMI. Disabling the first "Built-in Audio" profile means the only listed output device is now Built-in Audio Analog Stereo. Hopefully, once again, sound is working.

I hope this fixes your issue. Happy experimenting!

Last edited by Zavan (2016-06-08 09:25:53)

Head_on_a_Stick · 2016-06-07 17:31:51

Zavan wrote:

do you guys have any suggestions?

Try this:
https://forums.bunsenlabs.org/viewtopic … 603#p26603

You may also need to modify /etc/asound.conf, as per https://forums.bunsenlabs.org/viewtopic … 517#p27517

Zavan · 2016-06-08 08:12:05

^Thanks for the reply, HoaS.

I followed these instructions:

johnraff wrote:

*) Comment out the <keybind key="XF86AudioMute"> ...</keybind>section from rc.xml, and any other references to the XF86* keys.
*) Purge xfce4-volumed
*) Install volumeicon-alsa from Debian stable.
*) In openbox/autostart replace volti with volumeicon
*) Logout/in and make sure volumeicon's hotkeys are set to the XF86* keys.
Can you use the volume up/down/mute keys?
Does scroll wheel on the volumeicon icon change the volume, and raise a single notification bar?
Any other problems?

Which has unfortunately left me with no volume icon. Running the command "volumeicon" in terminal gives me this error:

volumeicon: alsa_backend.c:86: asound_get_volume: Assertion `m_elem != ((void *)0)' failed.

A little google fu led me to the same error being reported, although for a different reason, on the old crunchbang forums. I am having a poke around here and there, and will update if there's any success. Does anyone have anything to recommend in the meanwhile?

One thing to note is that these keys work on a default Debian install (what I was using before moving over to BL).

EDIT:

And... Fixed. Thankfully, the issue wasn't as heavy as it was made out to be on the #! forums. After reading the error a little more, and thinking about it, I opened up the volumeicon config file. In the alsa section:

card=default

Meant that it was using the wrong device. A quick change

card=1

solves the issue, and now multimedia keys are working as intended - I can even open the preferences menu.

HOWEVER, now I have no sound. >_<

I notice that in the mixer of volumeicon, sound is being played only through the "built-in audio digital stereo (HDMI)" and NOT the "built-in audio analog stereo".

So I figure I will have to be able to, somehow, change from one to the other.

EDIT EDIT: I have a very poor fix for the lack of volume, and I'm not happy with it but at least it works. Opening the volumeicon mixer and disabling the first "Built-in Audio" profile means the only listed output device is now my Built-in Audio Analog Stereo. I haven't been able to find a good source in order to understand and produce a "better" fix - perhaps some of you guys can help me out?

Last edited by Zavan (2016-06-08 09:27:02)

xaos52 · 2016-06-08 10:00:04

Right click on volumeicon -> Open Mixer -> Configuration lets you select your builtin audio.

Zavan · 2016-06-08 12:14:38

^Thanks. I've kinda gotten this far, but I was hoping for a more elegant (and permanent solution)

Head_on_a_Stick · 2016-06-08 18:18:55

@Zavan -- did you modify /etc/asound.conf, as I suggested?

See https://forums.bunsenlabs.org/viewtopic … 517#p27517

#1 2016-06-07 11:31:29

Multimedia Keys (Again)

#2 2016-06-07 17:31:51

Re: Multimedia Keys (Again)

#3 2016-06-08 08:12:05

Re: Multimedia Keys (Again)

#4 2016-06-08 10:00:04

Re: Multimedia Keys (Again)

#5 2016-06-08 12:14:38

Re: Multimedia Keys (Again)

#6 2016-06-08 18:18:55

Re: Multimedia Keys (Again)

Board footer